Slade (The Protectors #6)(5)

“No.” Her father looked up at Slade surprised. “Who are you?”

“This is Dr. Slade Buchanan,” Jill introduced them, her worried eyes never leaving her father. “Slade, this is my dad, Chuck Nichols.”

“You’re a doctor?” Chuck looked at his golden eyes in surprise.

“Yes, sir.” Slade glanced at Jill, then back at her father. “Do you mind if I take your pulse?”

“No, not at all.” He held out his hand, still looking shocked as Slade took his wrist. “They let vampires be doctors?”

“How long ago was your heart attack?” Slade frowned, ignoring his question.

“Over a month ago. Triple bypass. They said I was lucky.” Her father wiped sweat off his brow.

Slade nodded. “Very lucky, but your luck is going to run out if you don’t follow your doctor’s orders.”

“Which are?” Jill demanded of her father, but didn’t let him answer. “I’m sure those orders didn’t include cutting firewood.”

“No, they didn’t.” Her father frowned, then stood with the help of Slade. “But somebody has to do it. Winter’s coming and I need to get it done.”

“Then let Trevor do it.” Jill grabbed the chainsaw before her dad could. “Where is he anyway? Why isn’t he doing this?”

“He moved out,” he answered with a long sigh. “After you came home that night and then left, Trevor came home and found out. He was angry and stormed out. He has been coming home more since my heart attack.”

“He left because of me?” She stared at her father. Trevor was a year younger than her, with Janie being a year older. She had always been the middle child until little Seth, who had been a surprise blessing. Their mother, Julianne, had been told her childbearing days were over. Seth proved them wrong when he came screaming into the world. “She pulled her phone out. “What’s his number?”

“Jill, I’m the man here and I will take care of my…” He frowned, using his ‘father’ tone with her, but Jill wasn’t having it.

“Health?” Jill finished for him with a snort. “If you don’t, then you won’t be here for long to take care of anything. Now, what’s his number?”

Waiting for the number, she looked at her phone in surprise, not expecting there to be a signal deep in the woods. She gave a light scoff, constantly amazed by the VC Warriors’ ability to have the best technology of everything. She beat the number into the phone, then put it to her ear, waiting, her eyes going back and forth between the watchful eyes of her dad and Slade.

“Has she always been like this?” Slade nodded toward Jill.

“You mean bossy?” Her dad nodded, “Yes.”

Jill rolled her eyes, but then turned serious. “Trevor?” She paused, then frowned. “No, this isn’t busty Barb. What the hell is wrong with you? Yeah, it’s Jill, your sister, you jerk.”

“They close?” Slade asked, his eyebrows raised in question as he watched Jill talk to her brother.

“Thick as thieves,” her dad answered with pride.

“Don’t worry about that, I’m here now. Here, at the house with Dad who is recovering from a heart attack and is cutting firewood. You should be ashamed of yourself.” Jill looked at her dad, then pointed a finger at him. “Well, he didn’t wait. I found him down here in the grove cutting firewood. No, he didn’t tell me you told him that.”

“Tell you what? What’s he saying?” Her dad asked, an unhappy frown curving his lips, but didn’t wait for her to tell him. He already knew what his son was saying. “I can’t wait for him to get free from busty Barb or whoever in the hell he’s dating this week. Winter is coming and we need wood. I’m fine and will finish this. You kids are more stressful to me than this damn wood.”

A sadness filled her soul at his words. “Hurry up,” she said into the phone before she clicked it shut. “I’m sorry, Dad. I never meant for any of this to happen to me, but it did and I’m dealing with it. Actually, I’m doing fine and would do better just knowing I can come and visit you sometimes.”

“I didn’t mean…” Her father sighed again. “I didn’t mean it that way, Jill. I really didn’t. And I would love to see you.”

Jill nodded, then grabbed his arm, squeezing tightly, letting him know how much his words meant to her. “Now, come on. Trevor is on his way. Let’s go up to the house so you can drink something cold and rest.”

“I’m fine, dammit,” her dad responded, but let Jill and Slade lead him out of the grove. “I’m not an old man.”

“I know, but honestly, I want to get back up there before Janie tells Trevor I ate Seth,” Jill growled, still totally pissed about that.

“She’s just afraid, Jill.” Her father tried to do the fatherly thing and play referee.

“She’s an idiot,” Jill mumbled under the breath, not wanting to upset her father more.

Once they made it into the clearing and were close to the yard, Janie followed a large man holding a shotgun. “I got a gun full of silver here, vamps. I suggest you get on that fancy motorcycle and ride on out of here before things get nasty.”

Slade pushed Jill and her father behind him. “I suggest you aim that gun somewhere else.” Slade’s words were harsh enough to show he meant business, but his calmness effectively made one wonder. Jill knew, however; she’d had seen Slade in action. It wasn’t pretty and it would get ugly…fast. Not a good thing with her father in the line of fire.